Lawrence in Douglas County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

South Park

Established 1854

By William Fischer, Jr., August 2, 2014

1. South Park Marker

Inscription.

Historic South Park was the first park of Lawrence and part of the original townsite that was founded in 1854. The park was originally used as a public area to grow crops and graze livestock for the City's residents. It is the most historic park in Lawrence not only because it's the oldest park but also was the staging site for Quantrill's infamous August 21, 1863, pre-dawn raid on Lawrence that left over 150 male inhabitants dead and a large portion of Lawrence in ashes.

South Park is home of the historic Theodore Roosevelt Fountain that was dedicated when he visited Lawrence on Wednesday, August 31, 1910. The fountain is located near the William Kelly Bandstand which was constructed in 1906 and was built for $600 using donated bricks from a local manufacturer. Also in the park is South Park Recreation Center, built in 1963 which now houses the Parks and Recreation Administrative offices.

Erected by City of Lawrence.

Location. 38° 57.65′ N, 95° 14.142′ W. Marker is in Lawrence, Kansas, in Douglas County. Marker is at the intersection of Massachusetts Street and South Park Street, on the right when traveling north on Massachusetts Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1141 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence KS 66044, United States of America.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on August 28, 2014, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 249 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on August 28, 2014, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.